WEEK 20 REVIEW: Round-up of all the league and cup action from the weekend

CORINTHIAN CUP

Two more sides were confirmed as semi finalists in this season’s Corinthian Cup competition with two huge cup shocks on Sunday. Division One’s AC Milano overcame county cup quarter finalists, Belfry, winning their game 2-1 with goals from Nadeem Khankhara and Nesar Torkamani. Emmanuel Johnson struck for the hosts but his effort proved insufficient as Milano went through.

There was as much of a shock in the other tie as Premier Division leaders, Brook Athletic, put in a sterling performance with a 2-0 away win at Senior Division El Valiente, taking the spoils in a 3-0 victory. Craig Jeakins scored twice and Tim Monsheju got the other to continue a great run of form this season.

TROPHYLAND CUP

Two further sides booked their place in the semi finals of the Trophyland Cup with Roneo Colts ensuring they avoided any kind of slip up with a home win against Alpha at Robert Clack. Doubles from Shermar Marshalleck and D’jean Holland set up the win with Dwayne Francis-Riley also chipping in with a goal as Colts won the tie 5-2.

There was plenty of excitement in the other quarter final where Eastbrook United made the trip to Flanders to take on Thames Ironworks Community with the teams finishing level 2-2 at ninety minutes with Bradley Drisdale netting twice for Thames, Heavenly Bende and Regan Downes striking for Eastbrook. Thames won in the shootout 4-2 to confirm their place in the last four.

In the day’s Trophyland Cup third round action, an all Division Four match up saw Ainslie visit hosts Titans United over in Dagenham with a last eight place at stake. Ainslie made their loftier league position count with a solid performance, winning 3-0 with goals from Harrison Riley, Jonathan Carter and Kailem Gayle to go through.

ENDEAVOUR CUP

Two further semi finalists were confirmed in the Endeavour Cup competition with Division Five leaders, Colebrook Royals Vets, following up their strong league form with a place in the last four of the cup, defeating United Borough in a 3-0 scoreline. That saw them confirm a semi final against a Division Six side in the form of Royal Lions C in the coming weeks.

Also into the hat for the last four and just one game away from a showpiece cup final are Ultimate Vision A who put differing league form behind them to secure a big cup victory against higher placed opposition in the shape of Custom House Community. The sides finished level at 1-1 with Scott Watkins netting for Vision and Jamie Wooster for Custom House. In the resulting shootout, Vision won 4-3 to send them through.

SENIOR DIVISION

It’s as you were in the race for the title in the Senior Division with Hatch Lane bouncing back strongly from their last turnout to edge a close game against local rivals United Dian in the Hainault derby game. Tremayne Coley, Kazim Bishop and Ayrton Andrews all got on the scoresheet as Hatch took the game by the odd goal in a 3-2 win.

There was also victories for two other title chasing outfits with East Way Athletic recording the day’s biggest result with a 9-1 home win against London Mavericks to keep the Leyton based side well in the mix. Tumba Bokula and Didi Ndombe both scored twice with Andrew Tirivanhu, Nathan Douglas, Golden Igbineweka, Tolu Babalola and Lion Docaj also finding the back of the net too.

Baiteze Squad also extended their positive form of recent weeks to another win in the league as they return home from their trip to Rainham with all three points with victory against Secret. Nickal Luzolo struck for the hosts but his effort proved just consolation as Baiteze won 7-2 in the end to keep their challenge running on all fronts.

PREMIER DIVISION

Flyhouse Athletic have kept their hat the ring for a title tilt in the Premier Division with a key victory on Sunday as they came away narrow winners, striking late on to defeat Barking Riverside in a 2-1 scoreline. Warren James and Kieran James both struck for the hosts giving them an opportunity to cut the gap on the leaders at the top.

After defeat in their recent battle, Barking & Dagenham Wanderers will have been pleased with round two of their battle against Avintul, taking a solid point home with them from Chigwell. That saw Wanderers climb a place to seventh with a points tally of thirteen while Avintul drop to third with other results seeing them lose ground on the promotion places.

DIVISION ONE

All eyes were on the big game of the weekend in Division One which saw the first meet of the top two as Oceana hosted Theydon Green in Hainault. With the sides also due to meet in cup competition next week, this was a great opportunity to get one up on the other side and it will be Green who walked away the happier, winning narrowly 1-0 with Ben Brookes scoring the game’s only goal.

Abridge Village also warmed up well for their big county cup tie at the weekend as they came through their away game against Barking comfortably in a 4-1 scoreline. Kurt Freeney struck twice along with efforts from Leon Adeyemi and Joe Parrott to hand their side a sixth league success of the season, moving up to fourth place in the process. Rexh Dushanova struck the Blues’ goal in reply.

There was a seven goal thriller between third placed FC Galaxy and sixth placed Chingford Athletic as the sides met in Waltham Abbey, Athletic starting the day eight points behind their opponents. But that lead was cut to just five by full-time as the hosts won 4-3 despite Galaxy goals from Alexandru Demidov, Mihalache Dumitru and Mihai Mareniuc.

In the battle of two sides fighting against the drop, Emerson Park were the visitors to Hainault to take on FC Mexico A with both sides knowing they need an upturn in form in the last third of the season. They had to settle for a point apiece with Harry Culham’s goal for Emerson helping this side to a 1-1 draw and a crucial point.

DIVISION TWO

There are new leaders in Division Two where St Augustines took advantage of sides around them being out of action to jump into the lead, aided by a terrific 8-2 home win against FC Mexico B over in Walthamstow. Braces from Callum Daniels and Ed Shepherd-Brown were added to by efforts from Kyran Allen, Jaden Maloney, James Edelman and Olamide Dele-Adeniyi to put the Saints two points clear.

There is big change amongst the chasing pack too where Asianos have now moved up into third place, continuing their decent form in recent weeks by adding a 1-0 victory against Korona Redbridge to their points tally. Matthew Hamilton was the scorer of the game’s only goal as Asianos confirmed a seventh league win.

Just a point further back, Total Football made up ground too on the sides around them in a congested mid-table, moving fourth with a strong win against another of their rival sides, Royal Lions A. Goals from Jonathan Bluff, Fahed Gani and Krystian Fernandez were more than enough on the day for Total to move up the table.

The division’s final game saw East London Harriers making the trip to Ilford to face Frenford, the sides separated by just points going into the game in eighth and ninth places respectively. And that was the way it ended also as the sides finished level at 2-2. Connor Brown and Frankie Worboyes both scored for Harriers to help them get something from the game.

DIVISION THREE

Higham Hill continue to sit in pole position for the title in Division Three but had to work hard for their latest win with a home victory against Inside Success on Sunday in a five goal thriller. Shemar Morris and Sobaan Samad goals gave Success real hope but Hill goals from the experienced Zachery Leitch and from David Smith and Billy Jago helped the leaders win it 3-2 by full-time.

Upshire Forest remain as one of four or five clubs with a big shout of chasing down the leaders and they were able to take down one of their rivals in that battle on Sunday as they defeated Dagenham Town in a 4-0 scoreline. Aaron Rich, Luke Robinson, Daniel Roult and Ross Hyde all struck for Upshire to move them sixth with plenty of games to play.

Over in Hainault, Imperial Row were the visitors to face Mayfield Kings and had a little bit of revenge in mind following their defeat to the same opponents earlier in the season which saw Kings open their points account. But this time around, it will be Row walking away the happier side as Derrick Agyemang, Mitch Bllard and James Hutton strikes confirming a 3-1 win.

DIVISION FOUR

The stars are beginning to align for Singh Sabha Barking in their quest for the title in Division Four following promotion from Division Five last season, they sit top with eleven wins in twelve, the latest of which seeing them beat second placed United Amateurs. Ryan Dubb, Indervir Virdi and Jack Cookson all scored to help their side win 4-1 with Jack Chawner grabbing the United consolation.

There were some big results for sides around the bottom half of the table including an emphatic 6-1 home win for Blackwall Rovers who overcame a James Dixon strike for Raphael Park Rovers to earn a big victory, consolidating their position quite comfortably in the middle of the table. Raphael Park drop a place to eighth as a result of other fixtures.

Lonsdale’s recent spurt of form has moved them into a comfortable looking mid-table position with nine games to go as they followed up their excellent win last weekend with another on Sunday, taking all three points home in the Forest Road derby with victory against Ace Athletics. Jay Simmons netted both Ace goals but his efforts proved not quite enough in the end.

Taking full advantage of that result were Romford Athletic Dons who moved out of the relegation zone with a terrific win of their own as they overcame a fifth placed Ultimate Vision Reserves side , overcoming a thirteen points deficit at the start of the game to win 5-2. Chris Ratty scored twice, adding to strikes from Tom Mitchell, Courtney Butler and Scott Buckland in a vital victory.

DIVISION FIVE

With the leaders out of action, Belfry Reserves ensure they cut the gap on the leaders to eight points as they returned home from their trip to Dagenham Rangers with another win under their belts, winning it 3-0 at Barking Park. Daniel Lawman, Alex Robinson and substitute Tarron Tennant were all on the scoresheet to keep up their push for promotion.

The biggest winners in the division were a very much in-form Byron Red Star side who have been on fire in front of goal recently and Sunday was no exception, rattling in eight goals against Royal Lions B in Hainault. Ryan O’Connell’s hat-trick set them on their way with both Perry Robinson and Richie Morris scoring twice and David Goff’s effort completing an epic 8-1 win.

Eastern Avenue are hanging on to their place in the top half of the table and consolidated sixth spot for the time being with a solid victory against Young Royals on Sunday in Barkingside. Jude Lloyd scored for Royals but that goal was not enough as Avenue scored three of their own to make it eight wins for the season for the Wanstead Flats based side.

DIVISION SIX

Mansfield Rangers have moved ten points clear of the chasing pack in the race for the Division Six title after they came through their local derby fixture with all three points against Ping City Phoenixes at Douglas Eyre. A 3-0 win was confirmed by goals from Claudius Edwards, Chris Ttofari and Jay Kanber, keeping them with the points on the board in the race for the title.

Royal Lions C were the biggest winners in the division, moving third on the back of a big 7-1 win against their Hainault Rec co-tenants, Woodford Green United. The sides began the day just five points apart but Lions had increased that to eight by full-time, scooping a seventh league win of the season.

Two draws complete the division’s action firstly as London Legacy once again showed their fighting spirit as they went down 2-0 early on to Epping Royals with Louie Hodge and Ahmed Said scoring for the hosts. But Legacy responded with efforts from Walid Benmouna and Mohamed Noor to rescue a point as the sides finished level at 2-2, the teams remaining a point apart.

There was also a hard fought game between the sides placed in eighth and tenth respectively as Ivory United took on Epping Forest Falcons, both sides seeking for a bit of form in the league. Adithya Desai scored for Falcons with Matthew Driscoll’s strike levelling up the contest as the teams shared the points in a 1-1 draw in Rainham.